Developing a pain assessment tool for patients after major abdominal surgery.

The purpose of this study was to develop a pain assessment tool for use among postoperative patients in Zambia (Postoperative Pain Assessment tool for Zambia, or POPAZ). Phase 1 of this project was an epidemiological quantitative analytical study conducted at the University Teaching Hospitals, Lusaka in Zambia. The sample comprised of 30 nurses and surgeons who were actively involved in providing direct patient care to post-surgical patients. An adapted Clinical Decision Making Survey tool was used to collect the data. The study revealed five relevant measures of postoperative pain: patient mobility/activity, level of tolerance to activity, facial expressions, vital signs and overall patient behaviour. The findings of this phase have thus provided a framework for the development of a postoperative pain assessment tool that can be used with postsurgical patients following major abdominal surgery.

The negative impact of poverty on the health of women and children

This article is based on "The Negative Impact of Poverty on the Health of Women and Children" and discusses the association between poverty and poor health. Poverty is high on the international development agenda. World conferences and summits have paid attention to the increasing levels of poverty of billions of the world's peoples. The poor die in young age and they usually suffer from communicable diseases, maternal and perinatal conditions, and nutritional deficiencies. They are not only at risk from diseases of the poor but they also suffer from lifestyle health problems that are often found among affluent communities. Unfortunately, in many communities, the most affected are women and children

Enhancing global health and education in Malawi, Zambia, and the United States through an interprofessional global health exchange program.

AIM: This article describes participant outcomes of an interprofessional collaboration between health professionals and faculty in Malawi, Zambia, and the United States (US). BACKGROUND: One strategy critical for improving global health and addressing Millennium Development goals is promotion of interprofessional education and collaboration. METHODS: Program participants included 25 health professionals from Malawi and Zambia, and 19 faculty/health professionals from Alabama and California. African Fellows participated in a 2 week workshop on Interprofessional Education in Alabama followed by 2 weeks working on individual goals with faculty collaborators/mentors. The US Fellows also spent 2 weeks visiting their counterparts in Malawi and Zambia to develop plans for sustainable partnerships. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: Program evaluations demonstrated participants' satisfaction with the program and indicated that the program promoted interprofessional and cross-cultural understanding; fostered development of long-term sustainable partnerships between health professionals and educators in Zambia and the US; and created increased awareness and use of resources for global health education.